A Not-At-All Touristy Guide to Drinking in Los Cabos

There is a right and a wrong way to drink in Los Cabos, and knowing where not to go starts with a geography lesson.

Los Cabos, or Cabo as you likely know it, sits on the southernmost edge of Baja where the brawny Pacific meets the more docile Sea of Cortez. The tourist corridor here is a 20-mile stretch of coastline bookended by two towns, Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. The former is where tourists go to drink Patrón and soda to the manic pace of 128 BPM. The latter is where locals go for a Tamarind Old Fashioned or a flight of artisanal mezcal.

The craft cocktail scene here is fairly young—a welcome development after Hurricane Odile, which ripped through this long skinny finger of land three years ago, peeling the roof off the airport, shuttering hotels and forcing the tourism community to rebuild.

“You have to think of Cabo before the hurricane and after the hurricane,” chef Alex Branch tells me. “Odile wiped out everything, so after the storm everybody took the opportunity to rethink and rebrand themselves.”

As the chef de cuisine at Manta, Enrique Olvera’s slick, seafood-focused restaurant at The Cape, Branch is immersed in the new Cabo -- the version where Cuervo and Corona have been replaced by small-batch mezcal and Baja craft beers. It’s the side of Cabo where you’re more likely to find housemade bitters than neon-green sour mix behind the bar. Plus, the bar snacks are better and there’s a good chance you’ll be sitting next to some actual locals. Here are five watering holes that Branch swears by -- hang out at any of these spots a few times and you might consider living in Cabo too.

Acre

This 25-acre farmette on the outskirts of San José del Cabo has just about everything: citrus orchards, vegetable gardens, a pool, a bocce court, a restaurant, and a breezy, outdoor bar, where beverage director Dani Tatarin has built an impressive menu of mezcal-forward cocktails. Tatarin, who once helmed Vancouver’s Keefer Bar, harvests produce from the property’s garden to make her own liqueurs, syrups, and infusions. Patio tiles from Guadalajara and ceramics from Oaxaca give the lush property a modern Mexican feel, and this winter they will open twelve tree-house style accommodations amid the palm trees on the property. It’s the perfect environment to sink into that Tamarind Old Fashioned, or try cocktails made from Mexico’s lesser-known agave spirits like raicilla and sotol.

Mezcal Tasting Bar at Drift San José

Stumbling into the courtyard at Drift on a Thursday night feels like walking into your most stylish friend’s backyard party. The boutique hotel in historic San José del Cabo is a minimalist’s dream – white walls, globe lights, and plenty of potted cacti surround the open-air mezcal bar where you can choose from at least fifteen varieties of small-batch mezcals. Mexican microbrews and Baja wines round out the drink list and a food cart has your late night snack cravings covered. Even though it’s in a hotel courtyard, the crowd is more local hipster than turista. Cozy up at the bar and the surf instructor next to you might share directions to the roadside palapa where you can cure the next morning’s hangover with grilled clams and beer. The courtyard bar is open to the public on Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 10pm, and open every night to Drift hotel guests.

La Lupita

If there is a local watering hole in downtown San José del Cabo it’s La Lupita, a joyously colorful cantina with a serious mezcal list and the best al pastor tacos in town. Grab a seat on the outdoor patio, and order a flight of mezcal, which comes with three pours served in traditional jicaras, the hollowed out gourds used for sipping mezcal. If you get hungry, which you will, order the al pastor and short rib tacos, and wash it down with a local micro-brew. There’s live music on the patio Tuesday through Saturday—if you’re headed there on a Thursday, be sure to make a reservation because the patio gets packed.

Mixology

Everyone in Cabo knows a DJ at Mixology, which may explain why on Saturday nights this weekend-only bar is packed with locals sipping well-crafted cocktails to the oontz oontz of house music. It’s the place to be if you’re looking for a dance floor, but would rather skip the Vegas-goes-to-Mexico vibe at Mandala in Cabo San Lucas. They call it the only speakeasy in town, but it’s more clandestine in spirit than in practice, so don’t be too worried if you drink too much mezcal and forget the password before you arrive.

The Rooftop at the Cape

If you’re trying to impress your date, or just want that electric sunset 'gram, the rooftop bar at The Cape is your spot. Hovering six stories above the coastline, this chic bar and lounge comes with all the amenities you’d expect from a Thompson Hotel property: polished service, a well-curated cocktail list and ultra-soft ponchos to keep you warm after the sun dips below the iconic arch of Cabo San Lucas. It’s a bit of a hike from San José del Cabo, but it’s the only 360-degree view on the peninsula and the postcard view is worth the trek. The Rooftop has live music on Friday nights, and a DJ spinning on Saturdays until 2 A.M.

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